Hinge or hay-rack attachment.



PATENTED NOV. 10, 1903. H. S. CUNNINGHAM. I HINGE 0R HAY RACKATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED J''NB 18, 1903.

No MODEL.

UNTTEND STATES Patented November 10, 1903.`

HARVEY S. CUNNINGHAM, OF SHELBYVILLE, TENNESSEE.

HINGE OR HAY-RACK ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No."743,461, dated November10, 1903.

Application illed J'une 18,1903. Serial No. 162,128. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it 17m/y concern,.- l

Be it known that I, HARVEY S. CUNNING- HAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Shelbyville, in the county of Bedford and State ofTennessee, have invented a new and usefullmprovement in Hinges forHay-Rack Attachments,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hinges, and is especially designed for use inconnection with hay-racks for pivoting the upper side-board of therack-body to permit of it being swung to an angular position relative tothe lower side-board and of its ready removal, as circumstances mayrequire, and has for its objects to produce a device of this characterof comparatively simple construction, which will be efficient inoperation, one in which the upper leaf of the hinge may be held in rigidrelation to the lower leaf or removed therefrom, and onein .which theparts may be readily adjusted for varying the degree of angle to whichthe upper leaf swings.

To these ends the invention comprises the `novel details of constructionand combinai tion of parts more fully hereinafter described.`

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of myimproved hingeY applied to a hay-rack, a fragment of the latter onlybeing shown. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section longitudinally of thehinge` on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the ,upper leaf swungdownward. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a similar view on the line 4 4. Fig. 5 is au ele` vation of aslightly-modified form of lower leaf. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view.

Referring to the drawings, l indicates the lower side-board'of awagon-body, and 2 the upper side -board, said parts being of the usualor any desired construction and material.

My improved hinge comprises, essentially, alower fixed leaf 8, which issecured by screws or otherwise to the board 1, an upper rela tivelymovable pivoted leaf 4, similarly secured to the upper board 2, and abrace rod or member 5, pivoted to one of the leaves, preferably theupper, and slidingly engaging the other.

The fixed leaf 3 comprises, preferably, an oblong body portion oftubular form in crosssection, provided in its front wall with a centrallongitudinal slot 6, forming a pair of oppositely disposed longitudinallianges 7, a lower extension S, which, as shown in Fig. 1, is flat andperforated at intervals for reception of attaching-screws, and alaterally-enlarged portion 9, formed at its upper end and recessed forthe reception of the lower end of the leaf 4, the walls of the enlargedportion 9 being provided upon their inner faces each with a longitudinalsemicircular groove 10, terminating at its lower end in a shoulder 11,the purpose of which will presently appear.

The pivoted leaf 4 is preferably in the form of'an angle-bar having acentral longitudinal groove 12, extending between longitudinal sideflanges 13 13. The hinge 4 is provided upon the outer faces of itsflanges 13 adjacent to its lower end with a pair of oppositely-disposedrounded lugs or studs 14,which normally engage one in'either of thegrooves 10 and rest upon the shoulder 11, thus forming the pivotalconnection between the hingeleaves, The hinge-leaf 4 is also provided atits lower end with slightly-extended spaced lugs l5, which when the leafis moved to the inclined downward position, as in Fig. 2, en-

gage through perforations in the rear wall of.

leaf 3 to prevent accidental upward displacement of the pivoted leaf.

VThe brace member 5 consists, preferably, of a suitable length ofrod-iron provided at its upper end with an eye 16 for the reception of`a pivoting-pin 17, which extends also through the flanges 13 of thelink 4 for pivoting the brace member thereto, said brace being providedat its normally lower end. with a head 18, adapted to travel in theguideway formed by the hollow body portion of leaf 3 and in movableengagement with the flanges 7 ,which latter prevent escape of the headfrom the guideway, as will be readily understood. In this connection itis to be noted that when the leaf 4 is swung on its pivot the head 18will travel longitudinally of the guideway and will when brought to astop at the lower end of the guideway serve to arrest the outer swingingmovement of the movable leaf. Thus it is apparent that by providing theguideway with a series of removable blocks 19, as illustrated moreclearly in Fig. 6, the

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downward travel of the head within the guideway may be quickly adjustedfor varying the relative angular position of the upper leaf. It isfurther to be noted that'vvhen the leaves are in longitudinal alinementthe rod 5 will lie snugly within the guidewayand the longitudinal groove12, which constitutes, in effect, a continuation thereof, and that theparts may be secured in such relation by locking the rod 5 into thegroove to prevent swinging of the former upon its pivot. For thispurpose I employ a transverse pin 20, extending through suitable alinedperforations in the flanges 13 and overlying the rod 5, although it isto be understood that any other suitable form of locking member may beemployed for this purpose.

For preventing accidental escape of the leaf 4 when the parts are in theposition as in Fig. 1 I provide a suitable bail or member 2l, which ispivoted, preferably, to the upper end of leaf 3 aud slightly eccentricwith the pivotal axis of the upper leaf. This member normally engages ahook or other suitable device 22 upon the upper leaf 4 adjacent to itslower end. By this construction the downward swinging ofthe upper leafis permitted without releasing the bail from the hook, and when the leafis swung to a position in alinement with the lower leaf the bail will,owing to its slight eccentricity, exert a slight downward pull upon themovable leaf to prevent rattling of the parts. When, however, it isdesired to remove the upper sideboard 2, the bail 2l is released fromthe hook, which permits ready withdrawal of the upper leaf and thebrace-rod 5, carried thereby.

In Fig. 5 l have shown a slight modication of the lower leaf 3, in whichthe extended portion 8', which corresponds to the lower extension 8 ofFig. l, is of cylindrical form for extension through the base-board ofthe vehicle-body and is threaded for the reception of a nut for securingthe base-board, as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I produceadevice ofcomparatively simple construction Which will be efficient in operation,one which is admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view,and one which is readily applicable for use in other connections thanthat herein set forth-such, for instance, as pivoting the doors ofshow-cases or sustaining pivoted brackets or the like. In attainingthese ends I do not limit myself to the precise details herein shown anddescribed, inasmuch as rninor changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A hingecomprising a fixed Aleaf and a relatively movable leaf pivoted thereto,one of said leaves having a longitudinal slotted guideway, a bracemember pivoted to the other leaf and having a head traveling in theguideway, said brace being adapted to normally lie within-the guideway,and a pin extending transversely of the guideway and overlying the bracemember to maintain the leaves in rigid longitudinal continuance.

2. A hinge comprising a fixed leaf having a longitudinal slottedguideway open at its upper end, a relatively movable leaf removably andpivotally engaged with the fixed leaf, and a brace member pivoted totheremovable leaf and having a head traveling in the guideway and adaptedto be inserted and removed at the open end of the latter.

3. A hinge comprising a xed leaf having a longitudinally-slottedupwardly-opening guideway, a relatively movable leaf, means forremovably and pivotally engaging the latter with the former comprisinglateral trunnions associated with one leaf and engaging longitudinalupwardlyopening grooves formed in the other, a brace member pivoted tothe removable leaf and having a head traveling in and removably engagingthe guideway, and means for locking the brace member to maintain theleaves in rigid longitudinal continuance.

4. A hinge comprising a fixed leaf having a longitudinal slottedguideway, a relatively movable leaf removably and pivotally engagedtherewith, a brace member pivoted to the removable leaf and having ahead traveling in and removably engaging the guideway, and a bailpivoted to one of the leaves and engaging a hook carried by the otherfor normally maintaining the leaves in engage- In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.v

HARVEY S. CUNNINGHAM.

Witnesses:

J. L. CUNNINGHAM, R. W. CLARK.

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